


Through the Woods

by texasbella



Category: Twilight
Genre: F/M, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-18
Updated: 2012-08-18
Packaged: 2017-11-12 09:38:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/489433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/texasbella/pseuds/texasbella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sisters, Alice and Bella are worried over their sick father. Bella takes it upon herself to travel through the woods to see Zafrina, the witch. She will be sent on a quest to prove her worthiness to save her father. Along the way, Bella will find herself bargaining favors with ogres (Emmett), elves (Carlisle) and even fairies (Edward)...which one will win her heart? Consider yourself warned that this will be an ADULT fairytale!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer/AN: Stephenie Meyer wrote the Cullen’s as Vampires. I’ve used the characters to write a fairy tale. 
> 
> Special thanks to JA Mash for banner and graphics. Thanks to Mid Night Cougar for betaing. 
> 
> This piece serves two purposes. First, I agreed to write it to say thank you to those in the fandom that came together to help out a friend in need with A Flight For Bobby when she needed to get to her son who had been in an awful car wreck. She graciously agreed to share the compilation with anyone who was willing to make a donation in any amount to Autism Speaks. The second purpose is that this short story is dedicated to my dear friend and Twi-Sister, Holly A. Knowing how busy I am, she agreed to let her birthday piece get donated as long as she chose the “prompt,” which in this case was Bella and either Edward, Jasper, Carlisle or Emmett...OR any combination of all of them. Yeah, she’s a perv like me...lol. 
> 
>  
> 
> Happy Birthday, Holly...I love you!!
> 
>  
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy your adult fairytale...you may never look at Disney the same.

**_Prologue…_ **

“He’s dying, Sissy,” Alice whimpered against my shoulder before she broke out in soft sobs.

 

“I know, Sprite,” I soothed against her cheek as I rubbed her back.

 

“If Father dies, we’ll have to live with the priestesses.  Forbidden to ever marry,” she hiccupped, sniffed her nose and carried on, “and that doesn’t happen to me…” she lowered her voice, “I’ve  _seen_ my husband.”

 

“Really?” I fronted sincere curiosity and she nodded, looking at me with her large, wet, brown eyes.  Alice had a knack for knowing things.  She claimed she could ‘see’ events.  According to Father, Mother’d had the gift as well.  He said she must’ve passed it on to Alice as she died in childbirth.

 

“He’s kind and will calm me.  He’s beautiful,” she breathed out in a whisper.

 

I hugged her close, kissing the top of her head as I made my decision.  We really had no other choice.

 

“Alice, I need you to trust me to leave you here while I go for help.  I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I WILL make it back…in time.”

 

“Where are you going?” she questioned me in a dry sob.  She was going to start crying again.

 

“To see Zafrina,” I said, avoiding her eyes.

 

She gasped.  “The witch.”

 

She started sobbing.


	2. Into the Woods

As I walked through the woods at a brisk pace, I tried to be very aware of my surroundings.  I’d heard the strange tales about encounters in these woods.

 

Tales of shape shifters, animals that could walk as a man or in their true form.

 

Legends of mystical creatures, God-like in their beauty, which demanded intimate favors in exchange for passage.  I shivered at that thought.  I had no knowledge of such things and would be in no position to bargain such ‘favors.’

 

And there were the warnings of the wee folk, the Fae, who could be helpful or harmful, depending on their mood.  They were said to be mischievous, which is why I called my sister, Sprite.

 

Her normal vibrant self was forever asking questions and bouncing around with an endless source of energy.

 

I couldn’t allow her to become trapped.  Like an unhappy Fae, she would eventually fade and die.

 

That was not going to happen.  I knew I would do anything I had to in order to save Father. To save Alice.

 

Even if ‘anything’ meant dying.

 

The loud snap of a twig off to my right made my head snap around.  I took in the area and realized I had zoned out and lost focus.  The light had faded and I seemed to be much deeper in the woods than I thought.

 

My head was feeling fuzzy and I shook it in a vain attempt to clear the murk.

 

The temperature of the air cooled and filled with a sweet scent that I did not know, but wanted to smell forever.  I followed it.

 

If a change in direction was required, I’d face each way for a couple of minutes assessing the smell.  I never had any trouble knowing which way to go.

 

I walked through an opening in a stone fence.  Suddenly the odor vanished and my head cleared.  I stopped short.  I was in a yard.

 

A ramshackle hut stood before me.  It didn’t look like it would withstand a breeze, let alone a strong wind.

 

Warning bells were ringing in my head and my heart was racing as my palms began to sweat.

I really hoped this was Zafrina’s abode and not one of the creatures of legend.

 

I straightened up, doing my best to hide my fear, and spoke loudly and clearly.

 

“Greetings, Madame Zafrina.  I come empty handed but pure of heart to seek an audience with the Mistress of the Wood,” I said reverently.

 

Alice had insisted on drilling the myths and legends, all the protocols included, into me as I had prepared for my departure.  I was thankful now, as I felt more certain that my actions might not get me killed.

 

A moment passed when it seemed as if the entire forest held its breath.

 

“Come child, join me by the fire.” Her voice, strong and proud, came from behind me.  I slowly turned, unsure of what to expect.  Spinning round, there was nothing.  No woman, no fire, just the high grass, the stone fence and the woods beyond.

 

I came full circle and a small “oh” escaped me in surprise.  The hovel of before had been replaced by a neat and tidy cottage, to which the door stood ajar.

 

 _For Father and Alice_ , I thought as I moved forward and into the arcane cottage.


	3. The Quest

The next morning found me on the path through the woods once again.  Zafrina had been very gracious in opening her home to me.  She’d told me that my knowledge of proper etiquette had been refreshing compared to the fools who usually came to her, demanding her help.

 

She didn’t fail to mention that those ‘fools’ rarely left.  I didn’t ask what had become of them.  I didn’t really want to know.

 

 

However, she did like me and therefore she was willing to help me.  Over a hearty rich stew, she schooled me on some of the tricks of the Fae to watch out for and explained what I would have to accomplish in order for her to brew the potion that would save Father.

 

I had slept by her hearth.  My dreams were invaded by beautiful men, tempting me with their promises of untold pleasures. Upon awakening, I had a moment of thinking my bleeding was upon me as my undergarments were damp.  However, before I could ask Zafrina for supplies to clean up with, she had appeared from the corner of the cottage with a gleam in her eye.

 

“I trust you had pleasurable dreams, deary?”  I didn’t miss that she had not said ‘pleasant’ but ‘pleasurable’.  I blushed in response.

 

“Well, I...”

 

“Hush now deary, ain’t nothing to be ashamed of.  Only your fragile human body’s response to the magic of the forest. I fear, however, that I have nothing in your size for you to change into, so you will have to begin your journey with the odor of your lust upon you.”

 

“My what?” I whispered, as I felt my skin become clammy.

 

She inhaled deeply.  “If I can smell the essence of your loins, the forest creatures most certainly will.  Mayhap it will be for the better. Give you more to bargain with if you seem...tastier.”

 

Her words were not making me feel any better about what I needed to do.

 

She’d wished me Goddess speed with the rising of the sun and sent me on my way, a basket of Elven biscuits slung over my arm.  She assured me they would not mold and that only a couple of bites, when I started to feel hungry, would be all that was needed.

 

My instructions were to stay on the path until the path was no more.

 

Cryptic, I know, but not surprising given that she was a witch and they were known for their vagueness.

 

I moved deeper into the wood, and though the light filtering through the trees became less, the sounds of the forest picked up, the further I moved away from Zafrina’s abode.  With the returning sounds, my head seemed to become less fuzzy and my memories of the night before more clear.

 

 

Zafrina would save my father...if I saved her son.

 

I hadn’t realized she had a son and upon expressing this, she explained that he was not hers in body, but in heart.  A wee babe that had been abandoned at the wood’s edge, nearly two decades ago, by parents who thought he was cursed because he wouldn’t suckle at his mother’s breast. Choosing instead, to pierce her flesh with his tiny eyeteeth and lap at her blood.

 

When she went on to explain that he was a hybrid; the result of an incubus of the night creeping into the arms of his mother and getting her with child by his demon seed, I had to think that perhaps he  _was_  cursed.  But perhaps not, he had found love and acceptance here in the woods.

 

Jasper had been taken and was being held captive deep in the heart of the wood by a shape shifter whose preferred form was the wolf.

 

She had remained calm as I had queried her once again.  This time asking why she had not just used her magic to save him. After several minutes of quiet, she’d admitted that it only travelled to the boundaries of her property.  In other words, she was ageless and had her magic only as long as she stayed on her land.

 

If she crossed the line, her magic would fade and she would die. It was a curse that not even she could break.

 

To put me back on topic of my quest, she’d concluded our evening by explaining that she needed the heart of a shape shifter to concoct the potion that would save my father, and then left me to attempt sleep as my mind mulled over all she’d told me.

 

Now, as I tread along the path, I had to repeat to myself that I had avowed I would do  _anything._

 

Though I was hoping that when the time came, somehow I could avoid being the one to wield the killing blow.  Either way, I’d handle it when I had to.

 

I was yanked from my thoughts by something brushing my cheek.  Jarring my head in that direction, I noticed the leaves of a bush, just off the path, bobbing up and down as if they’d just been knocked against.

 

“Hello?” I whispered.  Realizing it was silly to whisper as I was sure my presence was not unknown, I tried again.

 

“Hello, my name is Bella,” I said louder.  When I got no reply, I added, “I’m on a quest for Zafrina.”

 

 

I felt, more than heard, my full name whispering and echoing around me.

 

_Isabella..._

_...Bella_

_Isabella..._

_...Bella_

Unconsciously, I’d begun following the sound as my body came to life, reacting in primal ways reminiscent of my dreams of the night before.  My breasts tightened and a throbbing was giving way to a sweltering heat between my legs.

 

In a very unladylike move, I found myself rubbing my thighs together trying to satisfy...something.  A burst of movement caused me to halt my motions as my eyes followed the white and green up to the tree tops where it vanished.

 

I darted that direction but came to a stop when it dawned on me that my feet had left the defined trail.  The spongy moss below me made it feel as if I were walking on clouds and the air around me was becoming thick...hard to breathe.  And with that tightness in my chest, I began to panic.

 

Somehow I managed not to drop my biscuits as I clutched at my throat and scrambled back for the trail, the teasing figure forgotten for now.

 

Especially as I barreled through the brush and directly into a solid wall of smelly flesh.

 

Startled, I stepped back, my hand going to my nose to close off the stench that was permeating the area.  “Pardon me, I’m so very sorry,” I said quickly in a nasally tone.

 

The...man...before me grunted as his wide spaced eyes tried to narrow at me.  I was speechless as I watched his face contort with unknown emotions, until finally he clenched up and a loud rumble filled the space. Followed by the most noxious odor I’d ever encountered.

 

As I fought to breathe, a smile spread on his face and he actually looked kind of sweet.  In that runt of the litter kind of way.

 

His thick finger came out and pushed against my breast.  “You smell good.  I eat you.”


	4. What's that Smell?

“Pardon me?” I asked in disbelief.  Surely I hadn’t heard that correctly?

 

I looked him over more closely and realization dawned.  I’d come across an ogre, which certainly explained the smell and his simpleness.  Unfortunately, for me, that meant that I was most likely about to engage in my first negotiations.

 

 

He dropped to the ground, making it tremor under his girth, and grabbed my wrist, pulling me into his lap.

 

“Please, Sir, I insist you let me go this instant,” I said somewhat firmly.  Inside I was terrified.

 

And the smell?  Revolting.

 

His large paws began pulling at the bodice of my dress and my hands flew up to press against his muscular exposed chest.

 

“Sir?” his face scrunched up. “I no Sir...I Emmett.  I eat you.  You smell good.”

 

“Well, Emmett, thank you for the, er, compliment?  But I’m a human.  You can’t eat me,” I tried to explain.

 

His dimples disappeared and his shoulders slumped. I immediately felt bad, but what was I supposed to do?  I started running through the rules Alice had discussed with me.  She hadn’t known a lot about ogres as they were rarely seen.

 

Just my luck...rarely seen and now I found myself tucked into the lap of one as he insisted on eating me.

 

“Just small taste,” he insisted with a pout, tugging at my dress once again.  I gasped as he managed to pull it down enough on one side to expose my breast and grinned.

 

If I thought the smell was bad...his rotted out teeth were worse.

 

I felt my stomach start to curl as I shoved against him again.  Where he had been somewhat playful before, now his eyes darkened and I felt my pulse spike at the look upon his face.

 

“This my wood.  I eat you or you no pass.”

 

“Please, Emmett,” I whimpered, “I’m on a quest for Zafrina.  I truly cannot allow you to eat me.  I have to get going,” I pled, my voice desperate as tears pooled at the corners of my eyes.

I couldn’t believe I was going to fail on my very first encounter.  I’d agree to anything, even dying...as long as my father and Alice were saved.  If this creature dined on me, I couldn’t save them first.  I had to figure something out.

 

  1. Be careful how you bargain, for you will be expected to do exactly as you have said.”



I could do this.

 

“A small taste?” I hedged.

 

He perked up, nodding. 

 

“No teeth,” I admonished.

 

He considered but didn’t agree or disagree, so I specified further.  “You can only use your tongue.  Licking, no biting.”

 

He slowly lifted his chin up.  Just as he started to lower his head to complete the nod, for some reason, I blurted out, “and only below the waist!”  If he did end up biting, at least a wound, and the subsequent scarring, could be hidden beneath my skirts.

 

His hideous, yet somehow endearing grin returned and he nodded rapidly, reminding me of Old Simple Newton who spent his days sitting on a haystack chatting with the fairies.

 

_What did I just get myself into?_

 

I felt the wind blow my hair as he stood abruptly and started walking into the woods...off the path.

 

I swallowed thickly, having no choice but to lock my arms around his meaty neck to keep from plummeting to the ground and being trampled under his oversized feet.  His skin was dense and coarse beneath my fingertips, however, for all his size, I found his touch gentle and tender.

 

“What you called?” he asked bashfully.

 

It was almost confusing the way he changed.  “Bella.  I’m from the village.  My father is very sick and he’s all my little sister and I have left,” I chattered aloud, hoping he would take my plight into consideration and keep his wants and urges under control when it came time for him to...lick me.

 

He grunted and was suddenly kneeling and laying me on a soft pile of pine needles and tree fronds.

 

My mouth became dry as my nerves ratcheted up.  I whispered out our agreed upon stipulations for good measure and closed my eyes, thinking if I couldn’t see it happening, it would be over faster and less like I had done it.

 

 

Instead of repulsing me, I felt a tightening deep in my belly and I gasped. What I think was his nose, was pressing, nudging and rubbing back and forth over my mound.  He was emitting sounds akin to rutting pigs but, I didn’t care because it kept up that tiny blast of hot air on me.

 

And I twitched every time.

 

His fingers slipped into my undergarments and yanked roughly. Under his hulking form, they shredded, falling from my body in tatters.

 

Shocked, I tried to squirm away.  To sit up.  Just something to cover myself properly.

 

But his hefty palm against my breasts pushed me back onto the bed of natural fibers.  “Stay.  I lick you.”

 

And then he did.

 

Only, not along my leg, or even my thigh, as I’d expected he would.  No, his heated muscle ran across the most intimate part of me.  The part that no one’s hands except mine own and my mother’s, Goddess protect her soul, had ever touched.

 

And I liked it.

 

It was good that he’d had his taste as I wasn’t sure what it said about me that I’d even remotely enjoyed...

 

“Oh Goddess!!” I screamed out as his tongue lapped at me again.  And again.

 

I felt the weight of my worries begin floating away as he continued to lick me.  Sometimes quick little flicks of his tongue, other times long, slow licks that travelled the entire cleft between my legs.

 

My legs dropped open.

 

I raised my hips when he pulled away, desperately wanting more.

 

My belly was now a fiery bundle of nerves that felt wound as tight as wool fibers being spun into yarn, and I knew I was on the edge of something momentous.

 

His movements were getting jerky, chaotic.  He flicked a magical spot and I began soaring, bolting upright as my eyes flew open and feral sounds poured from my mouth.

 

When the little bright spots in front of my eyes cleared, I took in the sight of Emmett leaning back on his heels with what looked to be a third arm from between his legs, gripped tightly in his hand. 

 

Tilting my head a bit, I watched as he rubbed his extra arm vigorously and I couldn’t help but wonder if he had a rash that was causing a bad itch.  He seemed oblivious to me in that moment so I stood carefully, my legs shaking under me, and straightened my skirts as well as righting my bodice.

 

Part of me screamed to run, to escape while the ogre was distracted.  Common sense, however, told me I had no idea where I was and I knew I’d need his help to get back on the path.  I’d held up my end of our bargain.  I’d allowed him a taste, so he had to let me pass.

 

My thoughts went no further as the strangest sounds yet began coming from him.  He was rubbing furiously and his tongue lolled out to lap at his lips over and over.

 

Then everything just...stopped.  All movement, all noise, even the birds that had been happily chirping in the trees...stopped.

 

I went to take a step towards him, afraid that he had died or something.  His eyes were tightly closed and his whole body tensed.  I leaned forward and suddenly hot, thick creamy stuff, that reminded me of curdled milk in its consistency, sprayed into my face and Emmett had resumed his vulgar noises.

 

Taken aback by the deluge, I stumbled and landed on my rump. Instinctively, I opened and closed my mouth, licking my lips to try to rid them of the substance.  It was salty and vinegary, and I didn’t care for it one bit, so I began spitting vehemently.

 

By the time I’d used my outer skirt to wipe my face clean, I found Emmett propped against a tree, his extra limb lying limp over his thigh and snoring with a content smile on his visage.


	5. The Guarded Spring

“Well, bother. How am I to find my way back to the path now?” I complained aloud, stomping my foot.  The movement caused my slick thighs to rub together, and I shuddered lightly as a hint of the earlier feeling washed through me again.

 

_Isabella..._

I looked around.  It was the voice from earlier, the one that I’d followed off the path.

 

As before, a slight breeze whispered past me, bringing chill bumps to the surface of my skin.  “Hello, who’s there?” my voice was breathy as I called out.

 

There was something about this mysterious entity that was tickling parts deep inside of me.  With barely a touch or a word, just allowing me to be aware of its presence sent my heart racing, quickening my pulse.

 

The air around me shifted, causing the leaf fall to spiral upwards and dance along on the unseen currents. Upon closer observation, it seemed the dancing leaves were travelling away, as if to lead me.  So I followed blindly.

 

Only moments passed before I blinked and found myself on a path once again.  I had to hope it was my original one.

 

The air settled around me once my feet touched the compacted dirt and with a wary glance around to see if I could spot my would-be accomplice, I set off.

 

After what I had to assume had been about an hour, the sun was blocked by the trees so I could not judge by it, I was starting to feel winded and weary.  I decided I could afford to stop and nibble on one of the Elven biscuits that Zafrina had given me, so I looked around for a spot to sit.

 

Having stopped, so that my shoes no longer shuffled along the dirt, I could hear the forest song more clearly, and I picked up the cathartic babbling of water.

 

A sudden thirst took hold of me and my feet moved of their own accord to find the source.  I didn’t care that I was once again leaving the trail, I needed to drink and it seemed the louder the water became, the more my mouth became parched and dry.  I couldn’t have stayed away.  It was beckoning me.

 

I pushed through some low lying branches and froze.

 

 

A hidden waterfall had come into view that took my breath away. I dropped my basket and ran the few feet that separated me from the edge of the pool, at its base.  Falling to my knees, I formed a bowl with my hands and dipped it into the crisp, cool water, eagerly bringing it to my mouth.

 

The water was fragrant and sweet as it passed my lips, washing away the bitterness that had been left by Emmett’s eruption.  Swallowing it down, my weariness faded and I felt energized.

 

_...Bella...beware..._

The voice was back, caressing the back of my neck and putting me on guard, as well as sending another current of heat through my body.  The buds of my breasts hardened painfully and dampness trickled from between my legs.

 

I looked round, wishing to see who, or what, kept playing with me.  I thought I saw a shimmer of white and gossamer green flutter off to my left, but it could have been my eyes playing tricks on me.

 

Seeing nothing for certain, I turned back to the water. The fine mist of the falls landed on my face, feeling cool and refreshing, convincing me that a rinse would do me wonders.  With another brief glance around, I unlaced my bodice and wiggled out of my blouse and skirts, laying them over a nearby branch.

 

I let out a little squeal as I slipped my toes into the icy water.  A fluttering behind me startled me and I slipped on a mossy rock, finding myself submerged in the water up to my breasts, leaving them to float on the surface.

 

A tittering flitted towards me on the air, bouncing off the rocks and echoing around me.  Suddenly, I felt very exposed and vulnerable.

 

Darting my eyes about, I carefully climbed out of the pool, avoiding sliding on the slippery rocks again.  Afraid to stand until I’d cleared the water’s edge, I kept crawling back onto the bank.

 

I glanced to the side, where my clothes should have been and discovered the branch was empty.

 

I looked up to the man I was kneeling before and he had a mischievous grin on his face.  I dipped my head in a polite nod, but said nothing.  I was not sure what manner of creature he was, so I didn’t know how to proceed yet.

 

I was holding my breath and had started to shiver as the breeze picked up and played upon my damp skin. I found myself exceptionally grateful for my long hair as it at least covered my back. 

 

“What a conundrum I find myself in,” he spoke and my eyes shot up to him.  His voice was lyrical, yet deep and soft.

 

“Why is that, kind Sir?” I respectively hedged.

 

His smile widened and he tossed his head back, and that’s when I saw them...the pointed ears.


	6. Elves

 

I allowed my gaze to roam over him as I acknowledged the small details.  A bow was strapped across his fine chest, and I realized I should not have missed his ears, as they were quite elongated with a defined pointy tip that peeked through his mossy colored hair.

 

His eyes sparkled playfully, however, and I relaxed.  Something I probably should not have done with an elf.

 

Motion over his shoulder drew my attention for a brief moment.  Something bulky, but small, was swinging on the lower branch of a tree.  It twirled around the branch until it was perched on it and I could make out a man’s face. 

_What was_   _that?_

The elf squatted down in front of me.  “I’m Carlisle and this is my spring,” he announced.  “You’ve trespassed and stolen from me,” he added mechanically before his lithe arm darted forward and he grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled.

 

I fell forward, crying out at the sharp pain on my scalp, as well as the jarring to my palms when I caught myself on the pebbles scattered round the bank.  _For evolved magical beings, this forest lot has something to learn of manners._

 

I barely had time to think before I was being yanked upright so that I was still on my knees, but no longer on my hands.

 

No, my hands had gone back to covering my breasts from his hungry glare.

 

“I...I apologize Carlisle,” I mumbled.  “I didn’t realize I had encroached on anyone’s territory.  I only wished to wet my parched mouth and rinse the dust of my journey off my skin,” I explained.

 

“Good thing, I suppose,” he sighed.  “You reeked of ogre, as does my spring now, thanks to you.”

 

I was having trouble resolving the gentleness of his tone with the disdain of his words. Alice had warned me though. Elves were fickle and conceited, she’d said, concerned with nothing but themselves and their possessions.  So I knew I was potentially in a great deal of trouble.

 

He finally let go of my hair and took a step back from me.  I trembled as he started a slow pace around me. 

 

“Tell me girl...”

 

“Bella,” I whispered and he stilled.

 

“Tell me, Bella, what has you traveling through this wood on your own?” he asked as he flicked my hair over my shoulder, exposing my rump.

 

“Zafrina, the Mistress of the Wood has sent me forth to free her son in exchange for an elixir that will save my ailing father,” I answered truthfully.

 

“I see.”  He came around front of me again.  “Did Mistress Zafrina not tell you to keep to the path?”

 

“Well, yessir, she did. But I grew weary and thirsty, and I heard the water and thought a small drink would be acceptable. Then when I arrived, the water beckoned me to rinse and well, um...might you know where my garments have gone, Carlisle?”

 

He nodded and waved his hand nonchalantly.  “Yes...you’ll get them back when I’m done with you.  Now, open your mouth and drink,” he ordered as he loosed the ties of his loincloth and it fell to the ground.

 

“Drink?” I gasped out as he revealed an extra limb just as the ogre had.  While his limb wasn’t quite as large as what I’d seen Emmett rubbing on, in fact, it caused me to recollect the snakes I sometimes came across while working in the garden,  it wasn’t small either and I had no idea what he wanted me to drink.

 

Alice would be surprised as I was to learn of the myriad of odd mutations of these woodland folk. I was also curious as to how they seemed to have the mutations in the same area of their bodies, yet they could look so different. My thoughts began to wander to what else I might encounter before this journey was ended, but I was promptly brought back to the snake in front of me.

 

“Of course human.  You drank from my spring.  If you want your clothing back, and to be able to properly repay me for your indiscretions against me, you will open your mouth and partake of my essence.”

 

  1. Noticing a clear fluid dripping from the eye, I assumed this was what I needed to drink so I licked at it tentatively.



 

My tongue tingled and I was surprised at the sweet flavor.  Light and sweet like the honeysuckle that grew at the back edge of our yard.  With that memory, I opened my mouth wider and sucked him in deeper.

 

He slid into my mouth easily, and I found that the substance I’d licked from the eye was having a numbing effect, so that I only felt fullness in my mouth, but no discomfort. 

 

“Yes, just like that, Bella,” he coaxed as his hips withdrew; pulling the snake from my mouth and gliding it back in gently.  I was thankful this snake didn’t seem to have teeth. “It has been too long since I’ve felt the warmth of a woman’s wetness engulf my manhood,” he said, his teeth were clenched, his body language suggesting he was having a hard time remaining coherent.

_Manhood?_ Was this thing in my mouth what I’d heard crass whispers about in the village?  Was this what the men implied they needed to have tended in the darkness of stables and rooms? __

 

And why were these thoughts, along with the feel of his  _manhood_  drifting along my tongue, awakening my body again? The wood really was a dangerous place.  A place that enchanted you and befuddled your thoughts.

 

As my mind had wandered and my body had burst into sensations new and unfamiliar, Carlisle’s motions had increased.  He was now rocking in and out, edging deeper into my throat with each forward thrust of his hips.  His movements forcing my mouth wider and wider.

 

His strong hands threaded into my hair and unexpectedly, he was drawing me forward, until my nose became nestled in his mossy green curls as his manhood thickened in my throat.

 

“Drink, Bella of the Village.  Drink of thine essence and your transgressions will be forgiven,” he moaned out as my mouth filled with a hot viscous fluid that tasted of concentrated honeysuckle and vanilla.

 

I greedily gulped all the nectar he gave me.  Enjoying the sweet taste more than any special occasion mead I’d ever sipped upon in village celebrations.

As I continued drinking down his offering, a surge of energizing bliss moved through me.  It began in the pit of my stomach and radiated outwards in hypnotic ripples.  Unable to cease the way I had started to convulse, I just rode the waves of euphoric pleasure as long as I could, until I collapsed in an insentient heap.

 

The buzzing and tingling gradually seceded and I opened my eyes.  I could hear the water but nothing else, causing me to sit up in a state of alarm and disorientation.

 

The little bit of sunlight that filtered through the canopy had dimmed, suggesting a fair amount of time had passed since my encounter with Carlisle.  My mind was racing, but my limbs were like doughy bread and I wasn’t sure what I should do first.

 

“So the sleeping beauty awakes,” a small voice said, sending a pleasant prickling across my skin.


	7. Meet the Fae

A careful perusal around me revealed that Carlisle had disappeared but left my garments folded neatly next to me, my basket atop them.  However, the owner of the voice could not be seen.

 

I donned my clothes in a rush, not bothering with the laces, eager to preserve what I could of my virtuous dignity...if I even had any left at this point.

 

Feeling as if I now had some decorum back, I spoke to the shadows.

 

“You’ve put me at a disadvantage, hiding yourself as you are.  The proper thing to do would be to show yourself, or better yet, introduce yourself so that we may engage in dialogue.”

 

Some leaves drifted to the ground from the tree in front of me, but he didn’t answer.

 

My gut was telling me this was the same creature who’d been shadowing me all day.  Also, that he meant me no ill will, he was just shy.

 

When I paired that thought with remembrances of the brief glimpses I’d gotten of him, I came to the conclusion that I’d garnered the attention of a member of the most elusive species of the Fae...a faerie.

 

Armed with this knowledge, I knew I had to tread carefully.

 

Gathering my skirts, I lowered myself to the ground, tucking my legs beneath me and lifting the basket into my lap.

 

“You have nothing to fear from me, I am but a simple village girl,” I said gently as I opened the basket and laid out a small cloth from within.

 

I heard the snap of a branch and some more leaves fluttered down.  I busied myself, looking down to hide the smile pulling at my lips, by extracting one of the biscuits.  Faeries were very shy, but they were even more curious.  And I was counting on that.

 

“Would you care to sup with me?  I have plenty of this elven fare,” I offered.  “The hour grows late, surely you are hungry?”

 

There was a buzzing sound akin to a fat, lazy bumblebee that came with a stirring of my hair just before I felt him against my back.  It was odd that I could feel him, as there was no warmth, no pressure, just simply...his presence.

 

But that was enough for that smoldering ember within me to crackle and flare.

 

“Thank you, Bella,” he murmured against the back of my neck and I had the most intense reaction yet.  My breath caught in my throat.  Again, I felt a rush of stickiness escape my core, making me long for my ruined undergarments to contain what I could not. And I was not sure if I could handle my teats tightening any further...surely they would pop if they did!

 

I could only imagine this was the discomfort that the women spoke of when they were with child.  Except, they complained about needing all contact kept minimal, and I found myself craving his touch to relieve the pressure.

 

So much so, that I leaned back into him, allowing my breasts to arch obscenely forward.  His breath blew across my neck and I shivered, unable to keep my eyes open.  It wasn’t until I felt a draft against my face and chest that I slowly opened them.  He was there, hovering about a foot off the ground, flapping his wings as he nibbled on the corner of a biscuit.

 

 

I was thankful that I had somewhat prepared myself mentally as to his species.  But even that was not enough to stop a gasp from escaping me.  He was simply beautiful.  He could have stood to eat a little more, for he did seem a bit slight, but otherwise, beautiful was the only word my mind could grasp.

 

His skin was translucent to the point of shimmering in the fading light.  His wings were a masterpiece in emerald green that one moment looked so fragile and the next, when they whirred rapidly, emitted strength. He had an ethereal aura that surrounded his being.

 

My thoughts drifted to wondering what those wings would feel like folding around me, capturing me and dancing on my skin.  Would they leave traces of fine green dust as when you played with a butterfly?  Would they feel soft and silky or rough like unfinished cotton?

 

“I can show you, if you’ll allow me,” he said quietly.

 

“I beg your pardon?”  I said barely above a whisper.

 

He took another tiny bite of the biscuit and lowered himself to the ground, allowing me to see that he only stood about three feet before he set the treat down and walked forward until his toes were touching my thigh.

 

I inhaled sharply as that strange current travelled through me once again, upon making contact with him.  And then...he leaned forward, until his lips were just an inch from mine and my lids fluttered closed.  The evening chill that had begun to creep in was gone as his wings did fold around me.

 

I was surprised at how solid and sturdy they felt as the tips caressed my back like small hands.  I would have to be skyclad, however, to know what the texture actually felt like. Maybe...

 

The air we were breathing became saturated with an orange blossom scent.  I licked my lips, discovering I could taste the sweet flavor upon them and I wanted more.  My lips parted as my breath hitched and his lips brushed mine, ever so faintly, and then he was gone.

 

I toppled forward slightly by his sudden absence and shook my head to clear the fuzziness.  He was a few feet away, but I could see the pink tint on his cheeks.

 

“What was that?” I asked breathlessly.

 

“I’m sorry.  I couldn’t...I couldn’t stay away from you anymore.  Not when your thoughts suggested you wanted it as much as me,” he admitted bashfully.

 

“My thoughts?” I scrunched my face in confusion and then it dawned on me what he had just said. “Oh!  Of course, I’ve heard that some Fae are mind readers.  I take it you are one of those?”

 

 _What’s your name?_  I thought.

 

His lips twitched as his head dipped a little, so that he was looking at me from under his long eyelashes.  His eyes were very green, I realized, and they glimmered like a fine jewel.

 

“Edward.”

 

_Unique and gentle, yet with a hidden strength to it._

 

His little smirk bloomed into a full smile as my thoughts continued.

 

“We should get going, it’s almost full dark and it is not safe to be out in the open when darkness falls,” he said as he drifted over to me and offered his hand like a gentleman.

 

I hesitated, thinking that if I tried to put my weight against him, I’d just topple backwards, pulling him atop me.

 

He laughed outright at this thought and it had to be the most glorious sound I’d ever heard. It took me to the middle of wildflower meadow in the late Spring when the air had finally dried, but had not yet become hot, and the bees and the butterflies went from flower to flower with a content hum.

 

It was a place of safety, comfort and serenity.

 

His smile faded, but something shifted in his eyes as they suddenly became serious, but there was something  _more._

 

“As much as I would be honored,” he had to swallow after uttering the word, “to be invited to lie atop you, I assure you, I am much stronger than you think.  I will protect you, Bella.  No harm will come to you, I swear to you on my honor as High Prince of the Fae.”

 

It was my turn to get sucked into the seriousness of the moment.  He hadn’t said of the faeries, no, he’d said of the Fae.  That would mean above all of the Wood’s creatures that had even a drop of magical ability in their blood. Wow.

 

He nodded as he fluttered his wings, raising himself to my height, and came forward.  “Does that scare you?” he asked when I had thought his delicious lips were going to be on mine again.

 

“In a moment,” he winked, “answer the question.”

 

“No, Edward, it doesn’t.  I think, perhaps, the only thing that could truly scare me right now would be to never see you again.  To somehow, lose you. I can’t explain it, and I realize this is rather forward of me as a woman, but I’ve been...aware of you all day.  The closer we are, you...your soaking into me,” I trailed off because I felt like I was rambling, and I couldn’t figure out how to put, into actual words, all the feelings and sensations that had been coursing through me all day long.

 

“You don’t have to, love.  I’ve felt and heard them all day.  I know,” he breathed against my lips before closing the distance.

 

I melted into his embrace, loosing myself in the orange blossom scent that permeated the air around us, though not as concentrated this time as he kept his wings fluttering so that he wouldn’t drop to the ground.

 

When he pulled away, only his small hands on my shoulders kept me from slithering to the ground.

 

“Come, my shelter is not far.  Explain to me, quietly, exactly what Zafrina has set you forth to accomplish, while we travel.  As you rest, I will come up with a plan to make it happen.”

 

“Won’t you need to rest as well?” I asked curiously.

 

Taking my hand, he began leading me towards a thicket of tall trees. “I don’t sleep, Bella.”

 

“Ever?” I said in shock.

 

He grinned and shook his head.  “Ever.”

 

A wolf howled in the distance and I shuddered, suddenly covered in goose bumps.  When the howl came again, it was closer.

 

He pulled my hand.  “Let’s go.  You think while I lead.  Keep up,” he snapped soberly, before tugging me into the thicket.


	8. Deeper Into the Woods

Something tickled my nose and I swatted at it.  Feeling it again, I harrumphed and rolled over, coming wide awake as I began free falling out of the canopy of the tree house.

 

“Edward!” I screamed just before his small arms caught me and cradled me against his chest as he flew us back up to the house.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t think you’d do that,” he said sheepishly, attempting to hide a pussy willow frond behind his back after he’d set me down.

 

I tried to pout and get angry, but I couldn’t.  He was too adorable as he hovered before me, silly grin on his face.

 

“I brought you some water to drink from the spring,” he said, indicating a hollowed out rock on the table that held a clear liquid.

 

I immediately recalled what had happened the last time I’d drunk from the spring and my body flushed and dampened.  As much as I’d enjoyed my penance, I couldn’t imagine myself being so, intimate, with anyone, or  _anything_ , ever again.  Except for, perhaps, Edward.

 

Edward coughed, almost a choking sound, and I looked back to him.  He had turned so that his back was to me.

 

“Edward?”

 

He looked over his shoulder at me, and then waved his arm towards the bowl.  “It’s okay, you will not have to pay penance for this drink,” he said huskily and a shudder ran through him.

 

“Is everything alright?  Can I do something to help you?” I offered sincerely.  He didn’t seem quite himself, from the tremor of his sculpted shoulders, his breath seemed ragged.

 

“Oh Isabella, your innocence is beguiling.  You have no idea what your simple words bring to my mind.  Thank you, if you’ll but give me a moment, I’ll be fine,” he said before departing hastily.

 

Thinking that was a little odd, I let it go and collected the water bowl.  It was as refreshing as it had been yesterday.  I found my biscuits next to the water and had a couple of bites before finishing off the water.

 

Feeling energized, I became restless as I waited for Edward to return.  I began pacing the small space.  To Edward it was probably quite large.  To me, well, if I’d been a couple of inches taller, I wouldn’t have fit.  Which was precisely why I’d slept on the edge...it was the only way I fit.

 

I was sitting on the edge, my feet swinging in the air, when he returned about quarter of an hour later.

 

“Thank goodness!  I was beginning to get worried,” I said as he alighted next to me and I caught traces of that orange scent upon him.

 

“Did you think I had abandoned you here?” he asked with a playful smile that made his eyes sparkle.  His mood-shifts were apt to give me a head pain.

 

“No, I was just hoping you could get me down.  I’m in need of a human moment,” I said quietly, slightly embarrassed.

 

He cocked his head to the side, looking at me.  In my head I admitted to what I needed to do and he quickly scooped me up and took me down to the forest floor.  He pointed out where I could go and promised to wait by the tree trunk of his home for me.

 

When I came out the trees, having finished my business, he was waiting just as he’d promised, with another bowl, or should I say rock, of water.

 

“I thought you’d like to freshen up before we leave.”

 

I curtsied to him.  “So very thoughtful, thank you,” I said as I dipped my hands and splashed my face.

 

After that, we set out.  Edward had assured me I did not need to carry the basket today.  We were only about an hour’s hike away from the heart of the wood and he knew which plants were edible and which were not, so if we got hungry he would be able to put together a meal for us.

 

We made small talk as we traveled.  If the root system got particularly treacherous, he would lift me and fly me over them.  I noticed he was holding me longer and longer each time, until he just kept me in his arms as we drifted along, dipping and rising to avoid plant life.

 

There had not been much light to begin with, but the deeper we got, the darker it became. Also, the sounds of the wood were fading.  First the birdsong stopped.  Then the rush of the wind blowing the branches ceased, as did the movement of the leaves.  Finally, even the insects went silent.

 

_We’re close aren’t we?_

He nodded and pulled me in tighter, guiding us into a large tree.  Once we were perched on the branch, he pointed into the hollow clearing below.

 

I could make out the top of a dilapidated roof. I started to speak, but his cool fingers covered my mouth and he shook his head rapidly before he cupped a hand around his ear.

 

Listening carefully, I picked up the sound of low moaning sound.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was a man and my instinct told me I was hearing Jasper.  That he was inside that old house.

 

Edward nodded, confirming my thoughts, and then cupped his ear again as if to ask what else I heard.

 

Straining, I heard a snuffling sound and I peered into the depths.  I jumped back, only Edward’s quick reflexes keeping me from falling out of the tree, when a large animal meandered out of the trees and towards the house. 

 

I gasped, my hand darting to cover my mouth when the animal sat back on its haunches and raised its snout to the air, letting out a long howl that crept up my spine.

 

And then the beast was gone, in his place was a large man, with hair that hung down his back in mangy tangles.  He sniffed the air and his head lolled from side to side before he went into the house...and the screams started.


	9. The Beast

“Jacob, please!  Please! Noooo!”

 

Gruff words were returned that I could not make out, and then we could hear heavy metal clanking.  At least, I thought that was the sound.  Metal was a luxury that I did not see often. But I was making the assumption because when Edward had scouted out the house while I slept, he’d discovered that Jacob had been able to keep Jasper contained with silver chain.  It had weakened him in addition to the apparent lack of blood in his diet.

 

Edward gathered me in his arms once again and descended stealthily.  Our feet tread upon the ground quietly as we approached the house.

 

Edward did not like our plan, but it was the best we could come up with.  I was going to have to distract the shape shifter while Edward went in and broke the chains.  He had the strength to do it, where I did not.  He also feared that if I got too close to Jasper, that his blood lust could kick in and he would try to feed upon me.

 

Edward’s faerie blood would keep Jasper from attacking him, however, as faerie blood was poisonous to vampires.

 

I just had to stay alive long enough while distracting Jacob, as I now knew his name to be, for Edward to free Jasper and then fly me to safety.  He would claim Jacob’s heart afterwards.

That’s the part of the plan that I did not care for.  I didn’t like that Edward was going to risk himself for my plight.

 

But I saw no other way.

 

I went to take a step forward, to come out of our hiding spot, when he fluttered around in front of me and suddenly kissed me with an intensity I’d only felt a fraction of before with him.

 

“Be safe,” he whispered into my ear after he left me panting for air.  He flew away suddenly and I squinted in the dark to watch him take his position on the edge of the roof just above the door.

 

He blew me a kiss, our signal, and I went into action.

 

Dragging my feet so they’d make noise, I called out. “Hello!  Is there anyone home? I fear I am lost and in need of assistance.  Hello?”

 

I could not believe I’d gotten the words out so steadily because inside I was shaking with fear and adrenaline.

 

Jacob came charging out of the house and straight for me.  I shrieked and started backing up, stumbling over a root as I went down.  I was able to see Edward duck into the house before my view was blocked by the hulking mass of Jacob leaning over me, snarling.

 

His body was curling inward and his face warped, his nose extending outward before pulling back in.  He was snorting and panting as he fought not to shift above me.

 

I went to scramble backwards and my ankle burst into agony when he stepped on it, grinding it against the rock below it.  I was pretty sure he had just broken the bone.

 

“Where do you think you’re going?” he growled.  Lowering his face to me, I fought the scream that was threatening to rip out of my throat, especially when he licked the side of my face, leaving a thick coating of drool on me.

 

A misshapen hand, halfway between a hand and a paw, pushed its way under my skirts, making my skin crawl as it brushed along my calf, moving up.  “I can smell you. You want me...”

 

Again, his snout elongated, as did his teeth, becoming jagged and sharp right before my eyes.

 

In my head, I began screaming for Edward to hurry.  Jacob was shifting and preparing to mate, if I had to guess.  I could tell by the morphing of his face and the crackle in the air as his bones stretched and reformed.  His breath became rancid in my face and I closed my eyes, putting my fate in the hands of my faerie, my Edward.

 

I inhaled what I was sure to be my last breath, and instead of the putrid fetid dog breath I was expecting, I was met with orange blossoms just as I was being lifted up.

 

A cry from below garnered my attention and I looked down to see Jacob and another man, who could only have been Jasper, facing off, circling each other.

 

Edward told me not to look and for a few minutes I was able to get lost just looking in his emerald orbs.  I resisted as I heard snarls, and cracks, thuds and smacks of flesh on flesh.  It wasn’t until a sorrowful wail reverberated around us that I couldn’t resist anymore and I looked.

 

All I could make out was Jasper crouched over Jacob’s slowly stilling form, trapped mid shift.  When Jasper released him, letting his limp body drop to the ground, he stood up, a spot of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth which he quickly licked as we came to land by him.

 

In awe, I watched as his body filled out, the bruises and cuts from his torture fading before my eyes, until all I saw was a healthy man with a soft smile of gratitude on his face looking back at me.

 

He bowed to Edward.

 

 

“Thank you, my Liege, anything I can do to repay you, you have only to ask and it will be done,” Jasper said reverently.

 

Edward fluttered up until he was eye level with Jasper, me still in his arms as I could not support any weight on my ankle.  “You owe no favor to me, son of Zafrina.  You’ve shown your loyalty by saving my Bella.  However, had Bella not braved the unknown to enter this wood, you would not be saved.  You may still owe her,” he returned.

 

He turned his attention to me and bowed again.  “Then I make the same offer to you, Bella, favored of the High Prince.”

 

I blushed, unused to such attentions and whispered my thanks and ‘not necessary’ comments.

 

“Mayhap nothing comes to mind at the moment.  I will travel by your side until my debt is repaid, however.”

 

We made a motion to depart when I remembered the rest of Zafrina’s instructions.

 

“Wait!” I shouted, startling both men.  “I...I need to take his heart back to Zafrina...she needs it for the elixir.”

 

“Say no more,” declared Jasper as he returned to the lifeless body and plunged his hand into his chest cavity, as I turned my head quickly, not wanting to see the carnage.

 

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him pull a large oak leaf from a nearby tree and wrap the dripping organ inside it.

 

It was done...and I was suddenly exhausted.

 

“Shhh, my brave princess, rest your head upon me and sleep.  We will be back to Zafrina’s by night fall.”

 

I nuzzled into him, inhaling the faint orange scent that gradually strengthened the more I nuzzled, and drifted away.


	10. Finding Home

The atmosphere by the warm hearth was joyous and light.  Zafrina had the elixir almost ready and was listening with rapt attention as Edward filled her in on my exploits. I was too proper to repeat some of the things I’d had to do, but of course he had witnessed it all and was happy to recount.

 

I was in a chair with my injured foot propped up.  The bone had been broken and was going to take some time to mend.  She was adamant that I stay off of it or it would not heal correctly and would be open to rebreaking with one misstep.

 

My concerns were hidden in my head.  She had opened her home to me and was being so very nice as to brew the potion, but I knew I could not stay; I needed to get back to Father and Alice as soon as the potion was ready.  I was hoping Edward would carry me.

 

“Tell me, my Liege, did she stay on the true path?” she asked him cryptically.  I started to shake my head no, but he stopped me.  “Yes, she did,” he answered with a glimmer in his eye, as he flashed a smile in my direction, and that damnable orange scent once again sent my heart aflutter, as it wafted into the air.

 

She looked between us for a moment before giving us a toothy grin.  “This will be a fine Spring indeed,” she said with a friendly cackle.

 

  1. Is the elixir ready?  We must see to her kin before anything else transpires.”



 

Now who was being cryptic?

 

She went to stir the gooey concoction, lifting the spoon to her mouth for a small sip.  “Aye, it is.”

 

Half an hour later found the three of us headed back into the woods, towards the border this time, instead of the center.  Jasper was going to travel with us, to keep his pledge to me.

 

Traveling in Edward’s arms went much faster and smoother than when I had gone by myself, and we were soon crossing the back fence into my yard.

 

I knew Alice had seen us when a piercing shriek filled the air, sending all the birds hiding in the tall grass soaring upwards in escape.  She had burst out of the backdoor and was running full out across the field towards us.

 

Jasper, who had been leading us, came to a halt as she came into view.  She pulled up short as well, and I seemed to be forgotten as they stared at each other.

 

“It’s you,” she whispered.  “You’re him,” she added as her big brown eyes widened and became damp.

 

He gave her a quick bow.  “I’m not sure what you are going on about, lovely lady, but I will be whatever you want me to be.”

 

“Hi Sprite,” I interjected, drawing her attention to me.  “Father?”

 

Her smile faded slightly.  “Is still alive, but barely.  Did you get it?  Do you have a way to save him Bella?” she asked with desperation as her eyes darted between me and Jasper.

 

I smiled and nodded at her, patting the vial that hung from a leather cord round my neck.

 

She looked at Jasper again and actually blushed, then back to me.  “Well, come on then, we don’t have all day and the beans are just about ready.  Will your escorts be joining us for dinner?” she asked politely, making no comment about the fact that I was currently about five feet in the air in the arms of a faerie.

 

Jasper started nodding, “I would love to dine on you, fair lady.”  I blanched at his choice of words but Alice just giggled.

 

Edward heard my frantic thoughts and shushed me, assuring me that while he might take a few sips from her, he would be able to control himself.  I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse. 

 

He lowered me to the ground and took my hand as he floated along next to me, the flapping of his wings keeping me comfortably cool.

 

Jasper and Edward remained outside on the porch, while Alice and I went inside and administered the elixir to Father.  With that done, all we could do was wait to see if it worked. To see if my journey through the woods had been worth it.

 

Though, deep down inside, I already knew it had been.  It had brought me to Edward.


	11. Forever (Epilogue)

_The following Spring..._

Our double hand fasting ceremonies had gone beautifully.  At first, however, it had taken some convincing to coax Father into the Wood.  As Jasper was Zafrina’s son, and Zafrina could not leave her property, we had all agreed the ceremony would be done there so she could not only witness, but preside over it.

 

It had been a little odd, admittedly, when Emmett and Carlisle had been in attendance, but I was quickly learning that a little intimacy among friends was not uncommon amongst the Fae.  I just was not sharing that with anyone except Edward. 

 

I had yet to see if faeries had mutations such as ogres and elves.  From what the ladies of the village had hinted at, I would be finding out tonight. 

 

I was nervous.

 

But very excited.

 

The last months had been torture in my attempt to not attack Edward when he would call on me.

 

I’d even been very tempted to lay mine own hands upon myself, especially when picking oranges from the orchard.  I couldn’t smell them now without physically reacting.

 

Alice had thought it would be funny to braid the blossoms into my crown for today.  Every time the wind shifted, and I caught a whiff, my head became fuzzy.

 

The festivities had wound down and we had said our good byes.  Father and Alice were weepy eyed over the fact that the creatures of the Wood had taken me in as their new High Princess at Edward’s side, and were taking the longest to make their departure from us.

 

Finally, we had done it.

 

I was snuggled into Edward’s arms as he flew us into the Wood.  He’d been working on a new home for us, one more befitting a woman, as he’d said, than his tree house and I couldn’t wait.

 

When we alighted on the ground in front of it, my breath was swept away by its beauty.  He’d formed the house from the trunk of a very large tree, so that it blended into the forest around it, yet still spoke of royalty.

 

 

“Are you ready to leave the path, Bella?” he asked softly by my side.

 

I still had never figured out what Zafrina had meant by that, but I did know one thing…I would follow Edward anywhere he led me.  “Yes, husband, I am,” I answered without hesitation.

 

Once inside, he showed me to the bedroom, after showing me how the stream behind the tree trickled through a corner of the room so that we always had running fresh water.

 

I freshened up and discarded my gown before lying on luxurious bed the people of faerie had given us as a wedding gift.

 

My heart was racing.

 

My mouth was dry.

 

My palms were sweaty.

 

Then Edward fluttered in.

 

And everything was right.

 

He came to me, his orange scent flooding the room when he laid eyes upon me in my bridal bed, and I finally understood.

 

It was the scent he emitted when feeling the strongest intimate ties to me.  It was just for me. It was his way of marking me, claiming me as his.

 

His wings upon my naked flesh were more than I could have ever imagined.  They were like an extension of him...as his fingertips grazed me, his wings held me.  When his wingtips brushed my breasts and nipples, leaving them a pale green, his fingers held my hips. 

 

I was on sensation overload as he accomplished the impossible.  Bringing my entire body to life with his fingers, his toes, his mouth and tongue… and his wings.

 

When he rose above me to disrobe, I held my breath and closed my eyes.

 

I felt his weight settle against me; his lips seeking mine out for an impassioned kiss.  “Are you ready, princess, my love?”

 

His lingering caresses and touches had built up a burning fire within me and I was more than ready, I was desperate.  I needed... _more._

He shifted down, nudging my knees apart with his slim legs before settling against me once more.  I felt his  _manhood_  nestle against my cleft and I sucked in a breath.

 

His fingers and wings continued to stroke me as he planted kisses on me wherever he could reach.

 

I felt his fingers probe between us, spreading me open to him so that he pressed against a spot that made me shudder and arch up into him.  He chuckled, asking me to be patient for a moment, and then his fingers slipped inside me and ran slow circles around my opening.  There was a slight sting as he began stretching me, but almost immediately there was a pleasant tingling that faded into...nothing.

 

_What had he done?  Was he using faerie magic to ease my first time?_

“Forgive me, love.  I did request some elven essence to help ease my passage this first time.  I still can’t take away all of the pain you will feel, but this should lessen it,” he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

 

His thoughtfulness touched me deeply.  “Oh Edward, my darling, the women of the village have told me what to expect and you have already far surpassed the expectations they had set.  I trust you, make me yours.”

 

“As you wish,” he whispered and pressed his length forward.

 

It wasn’t until he’d gone past the numbed area that I really began to feel him.  It wasn’t too bad. _I could do this,_  I thought.

 

Then he began to swell.  He was growing inside me, the further he pushed forward, encouraging my legs to open and fall to the sides.  He was going so slowly and I just wanted him, all of him, as melded with me as he could be, so I thrust my hips upwards.

 

There was a sharp pinch that had my eyes flying open and my breath leaving me in a whoosh...as I abruptly sucked it back in at what I saw.

 

I had not imagined him growing inside of me.

 

A winged man was above me.

 

My face broke into a smile and his lips lowered to mine as he withdrew gently from me, only to press back into me.  Our eyes stayed fixed on each other the whole time our tongues teased, the whole time his length slid in and out of me, as we rode our passion for each other higher and higher.

 

“Leave the path, Bella.  Join me, become more than my bride, become my Fae life mate,” he begged as his pace increased and my hips rocked below him.

 

I gave my consent with a nod and we flew.

 

Levitating above our marital bed, the pinch of my dying maidenhead was nothing compared to the agony of my own wings bursting from my back as his seed spilled deep in my womb.

He swallowed my screams as he continued to pump into me.  My wings unfurled in a damp mess as he held me aloft and I tentatively willed them to move...to dry.  A new scent, spicy, like the cinnamon I got for holidays, wafted around us.  The more I threshed my wings, the stronger the spicy scent became as it mingled and mixed with the orange.

 

_“There you are, princess.”_

My eyes widened.

 

 _Did I just...hear you?_  I thought. __

_“Yes, love, you’ve given yourself to me, I’ve claimed you and in the process have made you one of ours.”_

 

I giggled.

 

_Does that mean I don’t need to sleep anymore?_

He quirked his head at me and nodded, though his thoughts told me he was unsure where I was going with this.

 

“That means we never have to stop!” I squealed gleefully and he laughed.

 

“No, princess, we never do. We have forever in our Wood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks! Thanks for reading my little fairytale ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Mid Night Cougar for betaing this and to reyes139, Nocturnal Emissions, nmydreamz, TrueEnglishRose, JA Mash and WitchyVampireGirl for pre-reading. Special thanks to JA Mash for the banner and accompanying character posters for this story. Once all 10 chapters have posted in full, the PDF (with pictures) will be available for download on my blog at www . toserveisdivine . blogspot . com


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